Ponderay Newsprint Company

About

Ponderay Newsprint Company is a partnership between AbitibiBowater and three leading US newspaper companies - Gannett Co. Inc., McClatchy Newspapers, and the MediaNews Group Inc. AbitibiBowater is the managing partner for mill operations. Ground was broken for the facility in 1987, and at the time was considered the largest private construction project in Washington State.

Ponderay continuously seeks ways to improve a culture anchored in safety-oriented beliefs, attitudes and behaviors for all who enter the mill site. The facility manufactures approximately 250,000 metric tons of recycled newsprint annually. With some of the most stringent environmental limits in the industry, Ponderay is committed to preserving the environment in Pend Oreille County while fulfilling its role as a contributing corporate citizen to area communities.

Ponderay Newsprint Company employs 177 people, both salaried and hourly, making them the 2nd largest employer overall in Pend Oreille County and the largest private employer. The mill indirectly impacts the jobs of an estimated 500 employees working for companies that support the mill's operations with materials and/or services. Nearly $50 million is spent by the Ponderay mill annually to purchase services and operating supplies, a large portion of which comes from local and regional suppliers. The Ponderay operation spends approximately $29 million annually to purchase energy from the Pend Oreille Public Utility District. This purchased electricity is generated from environmentally-friendly hydropower operations.